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Sunday, 21 May 2017

U6 Week 4

Hey Coaches! It has been great continuing to get to know you and the players over the last 4 weeks. I just want to encourage you that we are here to have fun, to be crazy, and to encourage our players. The more we interact with them, the more fun they have, and the more likely they are to continue to play soccer. Be loud, celebrate every goal and every good pass. The kids love it!

As the weather warms up, I suggest reminding your parents to bring lots of water for their children. Also, if it’s warm, make sure you have lots of water breaks. This will help keep their attention as they will get tired because of the heat. Just make sure you make these water breaks short and don’t give lots of time for them to goof off :)

1. Warm Up: Soccer Tag

Players are dribbling around in your grid. Player who is it holds their ball and runs with it, tagging players with the ball. Once tagged, player is frozen with ball under their foot. To be freed, another player must dribble up and pass their ball to hit the frozen players ball, or dribble up and tap their ball to the frozen player's ball.

2. Sharks and Minnows

You are the shark, the players are the minnows. You attempt to hit the players with the ball. When you hit the player, they must lie down and another minnow must jump over them to get back into the game. If you have willing parents, they can also join in as a shark.

See the first minute of this video as a demonstration and for further explanation.

3. Cone Maze

Spread cones over your grid. Place a few goals around the edge, use your one pop up goal and an arch or your large cones to create more "goals". Players dribble their balls through the grid trying to not hit the cones, and once they are through they can take a shot on the goal. After they have done it a couple of times, you can switch it up to end the activity by having them they hit the cones with their soccer ball to knock it over. Once it is knocked over, they can and pick the cone up and return it to you as way to clean up the course.

See the above video at 1:24-2:06 for a demonstration.

4. Pac Man (aka Kick the Coach; kids LOVE this game!)

First, demonstrate what a proper pass looks like:

-planting/non kicking foot next to ball, pointing at target

-strike ball with side of foot

-firm ankle

-follow through to target

Have players practice this with their parent or a partner so that you can give individual feedback to each player. Once you have gone through each player, they can then play the game.

All players have a ball and are dribbling in the grid and trying to hit you with a pass (you don't want to be hit).

Work on good passing technique. You may have to create a zone for you that the kids can't enter (small square in middle of grid and then move to no square and everyone moving).

This video demos passing technique with cues, but don't spend as much time talking as this coach does!

5. Clean Your Messy Room.

We’ve done this one before, but kids seem to love it!

Split your grid in half with cones across the centre, and split your group up into 2 "teams".

Line up soccer balls in the centre, in line with the cones.

When you say "Go!" players rush to the centre to kick balls into the other half of the grid; they must try to keep the balls (laundry? toys?) out of their "room" by continuing to kick them into the other team's half.

When coach say "Stop!" players freeze and count up the balls to see who wins (least amount of balls/laundry/toys in grid wins).